PhD Experience

Your life as a professional physicist begins with the PhD degree. As a professional physicist you will be advancing the frontiers of physics by generating new knowledge in your chosen subfield. You will have the opportunity to work on challenging scientific problems at the forefront of human understanding, many of which are increasingly complex and transdisciplinary.

The physics PhD degree is offered by the Department of Physics at Arizona State University. The graduate faculty participating in this program come from departments spanning several science and engineering disciplines, in addition to physics. Their participation reflects an innovative approach to graduate education that trains students to be successful independent scientists in an increasingly post-disciplinary scientific world.

Our students are engaged in both theoretical and experimental research that requires a deep understanding of the core areas of physics, which is aimed at comprehending the fundamental properties of the universe we live in. A wide range of research experiences are offered that encompass working with individual faculty in a specialized subfield or as a member of a collaborative team focusing on larger transdisciplinary topics that transcend the traditional boundaries of physics.

ASU is the largest Research One university in the US, with over $400 million in research expenditures annually. We’re ranked in the top 100 universities in the world and the US News and World Report just rated ASU as #1 in innovation. The Department of Physics hosts one of the largest undergraduate physics programs in the country and offers an innovative approach to research and education in physics that is relevant in the 21st century.

ASU is located in the city of Tempe. Tempe is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area, which is the 5th largest in the U.S., and is a modern and dynamic community that is the cultural and intellectual center of Arizona.